Town Centre Initiative
Major Makeover for Paisley Properties.
SOME of the best-known parts of Paisley are to get a major makeover. Buildings, tenements, shopfronts, streets and pavements are to be restored and refurbished giving the area a bright and clean new look. And according to Renfrewshire Council leader Derek Mackay the facelift will help show Paisley at its best. The council's commitment and funding of the sustained regeneration of Paisley town centre was recognised when they were awarded £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to establish a Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) with a further £738,000 from Scottish Ministers through Historic Scotland to fund a Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) alongside the THI. The area in Paisley covered by the THI includes Causeyside Street from Forbes Place and Laigh Kirk Lane to Orchard Street, Johnstone Street, Gordon Street and Canal Street. The area is mainly made up of 19th Century tenements containing flats and small shops. There are also well-known buildings like the B-listed Paisley Arts Centre and the B-listed former Fire Station building, on Gordon Street, which is being restored for re-use.
Already work has started on external restoration work on tenements on Gordon Street. Yesterday representatives of Renfrewshire Council, Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland visited Paisley to launch the initiative and see for themselves how the makeover will make a difference to the town. Derek Mackay said: "Paisley has a fantastic asset in its architecture and heritage and we are making sure the town will be seen at its best by Buddies and visitors alike. These physical improvements to the look of Paisley will be there for everyone to see and it shows that Paisley is building for the future. I hope the council's efforts to restore and refurbish these buildings, streets and pavements will encourage the private sector to do their bit to enhance the look of the town by restoring or improving the look of their own town centre properties. With people seeing visible evidence of an improved town centre it will instil a new confidence that Paisley is worth taking a pride in and we are making progress in the town's regeneration. We must thank the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland for showing their confidence in Paisley by providing funding alongside the council's own financial input into revitalising Paisley. And there is the added bonus that the works being carried out and which are about to start will give employment and opportunities for people to develop new skills."